File box



Nov. 18, 1958 A. M. SARGENT 2,860,310

FILE BOX Original Filed Dec. 13, 1954 INV EN TOR.

United States Patent FILE BOX Albert M. Sargent, Detroit, Mich.

Original application December 13, 1954, Serial No. 474,703. Divided and this application June 24, 1957, Serial No. 667,354

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-41) This application is a division of the applicants copending application, Serial No. 474,703, filed December 13, 1954, for File Box.

This invention relates to containers and, more particularly, to an improved file box for storing photographic transparencies or slides and the like.

An object of the invention is to overcome disadvantages in prior containers of the indicated character and to provide an improved file box incorporating improved means for preventing the entrance of dust, dirt and other foreign material into the file box.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved file box incorporating improved means for preventing inadvertent opening of the file box when the file box is in an inverted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved file box incorporating improved support means which facilitates the insertion and withdrawal of photographic transparencies and the like with a minimum of time and effort.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved file box that is pleasing in appearance, durable and economical to manufacture and assemble.

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the appended claim and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the file box embodying the present invention, and showing the same in the closed position;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the file box illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the file box illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the file box illustrated in Fig. l, and showing the same in a partially opened position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of the file boX illustrated in Fig. l, and showing the same in an inverted position; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the file box illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the same in still another position.

Referring to the drawing, the present invention is shown incorporated in a file box, generally designated 10, particularly adapted for use in storing photographic slides or transparencies, although it will be understood that the present invention is applicable to other uses. The file box 10 may be made in a wide variety of sizes and lengths so as to accommodate any desired size and number of slides of any desired character.

The file box 10 is comprised of a body member, generally designated 12, and a closure member, generally designated 14, each of which may be made of plastic, wood, metal or other suitable material.

The body member 12 is open at the top and includes spaced substantially parallel side walls 16 and 18 integrally joined by end walls 20 and 22 and a bottom wall 24, the side, end and bottom walls defining a chamber 26.

2 For the purpose of strengthening the body member 12 and to provide a pleasing appearance, a plurality of spaced vertically extending ribs 28 and 30 are provided on the side walls 16 and 18, the ribs 30 being of greater width than the ribs 28 in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated. A plurality of spaced vertically extending grooves 32 and 34 are formed in the inner surfaces of the side walls 16 and 18, respectively, the grooves 32 in the side wall 16 being aligned with the grooves '34 in the side wall 18 and the longitudinal axes of the ribs and grooves being substantially co-planar and lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the planes of the side walls 16 and 18. As shown in Fig. 2, the upper ,p'ortions of the side walls 16 and 18 define generally dovetail shaped ways 36 and 38 which are adapted to receive the closure member 14. While in the preferred embodiment illustrated the ways 36 and 38 are shown as being of generally dovetail shape, it will be understood that other types of interlocking ways may be employed. The ways 36 and 38 extend longitudinally of the body member 12 from the end wall 20 thereof to a position near, but spaced from the end wall 22 thereof, the ways 36 and 38 diverging slightly as they approach the end wall 22 so that the closure member is held securely in the closed position when mounted on the ways 36 and 38.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the end portion 40 of each of the side walls 16 and 18 slopes upwardly and terminates at a position above the upper edge of the remaining portions of the side walls 16 and 18, the portions 40 of the side walls 16 and 18 being adapted to overlap complementary portions of the side walls of the closure member 14. The upper portion of the end wall 22 defines a recess 42 which extends transversely of the body member 12 and the ends of which are closed by the side walls 16 and 18 while the upper portion of the end wall 20 defines a recess 44 which extends transversely of the body member 12, the ends of the recess 44 being open.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the end wall 22 also defines generally dovetail-shaped ways 46 and 48 which are adapted to receive the closure member 14, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail. While in the pre ferred embodiment illustrated the ways 46 and 48 are shown as being of generally dovetail shape, it will be understood that other types of ways may be employed. The ways 46 and 48 extend upwardly of the body member 12, as viewed in Fig. 1, from the bottom wall 24 to a position near, but spaced from, the upper edge of the end wall 22, the ways 46 and 48 terminating at abutment stops 49, and diverging slightly as they approach the abutment stops 49 so as to steady the closure member when the closure member is positioned on the ways 46 and 48.

The closure member 14 includes spaced substantially parallel side walls 50 and 52 integrally joined by end walls 54 and 56 and a top wall 58, the side, end and top walls of the closure member defining an open bottom chamber 59. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower portions of the side walls 50 and 52 are configured to complement the Ways 36 and 38 provided on the side walls 16 and 18 on the body member 12 and slide longitudinally of the ways 36 and 38. The ways 46 and 48 provided on the end wall 22 are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the ways 36 and 38 and the lower portions of the side walls 50 and 52 of the closure member 14 are also adapted to mate with and slide on the ways 46 and 48. The end wall 54 is provided with a recess 60 which is adapted to receive the upper portion of the end wall 22 of the body member 12 while the end wall 56 of the closure member 14 is provided with a recess 62 which is adapted to receive the upper portion of the end wall 20 of the body member 12. With such a construction, the lower edge portions of the side and end walls of the closure member 14 overlap the upper edge portions of the side and end walls of the body member 12 when the file box is in a closed position so as to form a seal to prevent the entrance of dust, dirt and other foreign matter into the file box.

The closure member 14 may be removed from the body member 12 when the file box is in an upright position, as shown in Fig. l, by sliding the closure member along the ways 36 and 38 toward the end wall 20. As shown in Fig. 6, the closure member 14 may be slidablyv mounted on the ways 46 and 48 so as to prop the body member 12 in an inclined position to facilitate insertion and removal of photographic slides or transparencies from the body member 12.

In order to divide the chamber 26 into compartments and to facilitate the filing of photographic transparencies, a plurality of relatively thin flat partition members 64 are provided, the marginal side portions of which are adapted to be inserted in the grooves 32 and 34 defined by the side walls 16 and 18 of the body member 12. The lower edges of the partition members 64, as viewed in Fig. 2, rest on spaced longitudinally extending ribs 65 provided on the bottom wall 24 of the body member 12, the ribs 65 projecting into the chamber 26 and also serving as support rails for the photographic slides. The marginal slide portions of the partition members 64 have an easy sliding fit in the grooves 32 and 34 and the transverse dimensions of the upper portions 66 of the partition members are reduced so that the partition members are permitted to slide longitudinally of the grooves toward the top wall 58 of the closure member. When the file box is inverted, as shown in Fig. 5, the partition member, such as 68, adjacent the end wall 22 will slide in the grooves 32 and 34 toward the top wall 58 of the closure member 14 and will engage the end wall 54 of the closure member 14 so as to stop the sliding movement of the closure member and prevent inadvertent opening of the closure member when the file box is in an inverted position.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the walls of the body member 12 and the closure member 14, as for example, the top wall 58 and the end wall 20, may be provided with suitable recesses, such as 70 and 72, for the reception of suitable labels or other indicia.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a file box which incorporates improved means for preventing the entrance of dust, dirt and other foreign matter into the file box; which incorporates improved means for supporting the body portion of the file box in an angular position to facilitate insertion and removal of the contents of the file box; and which incorporates improved means for preventing inadvertent opening of the file box when the file box is in an inverted position. Furthermore, the present invention overcomes 4 disadvantages of the boxes having hingedly connected closure members which tend to unbalance and tip the boxes when the boxes are in the open position and which, in a projecting position, may be hit or struck thereby causing the box to tip and the contents to spill therefrom.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a file box, the combination comprising a body having a pair of spaced side walls and a pair of spaced end walls joined by a bottom wall and defining an open top chamber, said side walls including a first pair of ways extending along opposite sides of said chamber, one of said end walls including a second pair of ways extending transversely of said first pair of ways, said second pair of ways being open at the end thereof adjacent said bottom lWall, stop means on said body adjacent the end of said second pair of ways remote from said bottom wall, a closure member having a pair of spaced side walls and a pair of spaced end walls joined by a top wall, said side walls of said closure member being adapted to engage said first pair of ways to support said closure member for sliding movement between an open position and a closed position to open and close the chamber defined by said body, portions of said side walls of said closure member overlapping portions of said side walls of said body and portions of said end walls of said closure member overlapping portions of said end walls of said body when said closure member is in the closed position, one of said end walls of said closure member terminating above the other said end wall of said body when said closure member is mounted on said first pair of ways so that said one end wall of said closure member moves clear of said other end wall of said body to permit removal of said closure member from said first pair of ways at the end thereof remote from said one end wall of said body, said side walls of said closure member also being adapted to slide on said second pair of ways and engage said stop means to support said body in an inclined position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,526,213 Humphrey Feb. 10, 1925 2,378,003 Duell June 12, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 556,129 France Apr. 7, 1923 662,661 Great Britain Dec. 12, 

